maneuver
Definitions
A skillful or careful controlled movement, especially of a vehicle.
（车辆等的）操控动作；移动。
A clever or cunning action or plan; (plural) military exercises.
策略；花招；（复数）军事演习。
To move or guide something skillfully into position; to scheme.
（巧妙地）操纵；调遣；耍手段。
Root Breakdown
Root-derivedLatin manus (hand) + operari (to work) → manu operari, 'to work by hand,' via French manœuvre. From plain 'handiwork' it became a skilled movement — first labor, then steering a ship or troops, then any clever tactical move.
Root man still carries 62 more wordsWhy It Means This
Maneuver is 'manual work' (manus + operari) that climbed up in skill and stakes. The French manœuvre passed through naval and military use, so the word now suggests precise, deliberate movement under pressure — parking maneuvers, battlefield maneuvers, political maneuvering. Spelling note: British English spells it 'manoeuvre'; American English 'maneuver.'
Common Collocations
- 1.military maneuvers军事演习
- 2.room to maneuver回旋余地
- 3.political maneuvering政治手腕
- 4.evasive maneuver规避动作
Example Sentences
- 1.
She executed a tricky parking maneuver in one try.
- 2.
The troops are on maneuvers near the border.
- 3.
He maneuvered the sofa through the narrow doorway.